Grade crossing



Jan. 22, 1929.

R. H. GERARD GRADE CROSSING Filed Oct. 26, 1927 m w w EA TR n .T 6% fl W Y M W Patented Jan. 22.1929.

ROY H; GERARD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

GRADE CROSSING.

Application area October 26, 1927. Serial are. 228,908.

My invention relates to improvements in grade crossings, and it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a grade crossing that may be applied at any crossing without altering the road construction. The device provides positive means for slowing up trafiic adjacent to the rail road tracks,

The device is also designed especially to handle large buses and also the smaller type of automobiles, causing either of these types of vehicles to slow up as they approach the railroad tracks. In this way the device is flexible for handling traffic consisting of re hicles of various sizes.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of my invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device; and

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a road 1, that crosses railroad tracks 2 and 3. Figure 1 shows the road as being widened adjacent to the tracks for a purpose now to be described.

I dispose a central railing 1 that is raised above the road by posts 5, thus providing an obstruction which prevents cars from passing from one side of the road to the other when travelling alongside of the railing.

This railing may be extended any dis tance desired away from the tracks 2, as 1ndicated by the dotted lines at 20. (Figure 2). At the extreme end of the railing I dispose a bar 6 that extends from the top of the end post 5 down to the road bed 1. This bar prevents an automobile from taking a head-on collision with the end post There are two railings 4 used, one being disposed on each side of the tracks 2.

The railings 4: provide lanes 7 that have their outer edges bounded by railings 8. These railings are supported by posts 9 and are disposed approximately the same height as the railings 4:.

At the point 10 the railings 8 are turned outwardly and extend away from eachother until they reach the points 11, where they are again disposed at such an angle as to extend parallel with respectto each other. The outwardly extending portions of the railings 8 provide a: turn or jog in the lanes 7 at a point just in advance of the tracks 2. Traflic is prevented from moving parallel with the railings 4 by an obstruction 12, preferably made of concrete and being V- shaped in plan. 1

Figure 2 clearly shows how the obstruction 12 terminates at points 13, these points or edges of the obstruction being spaced far enough away from the railings 8 to permit large or smaller vehicles to pass therebetween. coach or stage to pass between the obstruction 12 andthe railings 8, too great a space is allowed for the smaller vehicles and the drivers would have no difliculty in winding their way through the lanes 7 at an excessive speed. To overcome this, I position ridges 1st and 15 in the road 1, the ridges 14 extending parallel with the obstruction 12 and the ridges l5 projecting at right-angles from the inclined portions 16 of the rails 8. Figure 1 shows these ridges very clearly. The wheels of small cars must pass around the ridges I l and 15 if the drivers wish to avoid bumps. The wheels of large busses must also avoid the ridges, but the ridges are low enough to permit the bodies of the busses to overhang them as the busses make the turns.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

Arrows 17 in Figure 52 illustratethe line of tra'liic asit passes the tracks 2. The wheels of the stages clear the ridges, but the bodies pass thereover during the turning movement. The bodies of the smaller cars do not pass over the ridges, since sufficient space is left for them. If a string of freight cars, or the like, are standing upon the track and prevent passage thereacross, the cars fill If suflicient space is allowed for a i moving down one lane 7 may swing around the obstruction it as shown by the arrows 18, and then go back along the other lane 7.

In Figure 2 I have also shown a curve 19 in the road that is provided with a center line 20, This line indicates that the center rail 4 may be extended around a curve if desired.

The device is extremely simple in construction and provides an inexpensive way for positively slowing up traflic and preventing to a largeiextent the great number of casualties at crossings. Applicant has made a study of grade crossings and has found that gates are not a positive protection, because they are fragile and may be easilybrushed aside by a moving vehicle' A fiagman is really of less protection than the gate, because he is diflicult to see in bad weather, and of course cannot stop a motorist who ignores his Warning. A bell with a moving signal is merely a warning device, and may be deliberately ignored. Furthermore, many of the bells cannot even be heard it the Wind is blowing away from the driver. Furthermore, the signal may be obscured by fog, rain, or snow. A fixed sign is not even classed as a protection. Applicants device provides positive protection, because it compels a slowing down of the vehicles. 7

Although I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes and I reserve the right to employ such changes as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the type described, comprising a road having a jog therein adjacent to a railroad track, vehicle obstructing means disposed along the sides of the road for causing the vehicles to take a sharp turn just before approaching the railroad track and ridges in the road, and cooperating with the vehicle obstructing means for slowing up smaller sized vehicles.

A grade crossing comprising a road, railings disposed along the sides of the road, and along the center of the road, obstructions spaced a predetermined distance from the railroad tracks and being of sufl icient size for causing vehicles to take a sharp turn just before crossing the tracks and ridges coopera ing with said railings and said obstructions for slowing up smaller sized vehicles.

8. A grade crossing comprising a road, high obstructions dividing the road into lanes, said obstructions extending t 'ansversely across the road for providing bends in the lanes and low ridges extending from said obstructions for permitting the bodies 01 vehicles to pass thereover,

ROY H. GERARD.

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